Observer-independent Scales Research Articles

Planck scale effects on the thermodynamics of photon gases

A particular framework for quantum gravity is the doubly special relativity (DSR) formalism that introduces a new observer independent scale (the Planck scale). We resort to the methods of statistical mechanics in this framework to determine how the deformed dispersion relation affects the thermodynamics of a photon gas. The ensuing modifications to the density of states, partition function, pressure, internal energy, entropy, free energy and specific heat are calculated. These results are compared with the outcome obtained in the Lorentz violating model of Camacho and Marcias (Gen. Relativ. Gravit. 39: 1175-1183, 2007). The two types of models predict different results due to different spacetime structure near the Planck scale. The resulting modifications can be interpreted as a consequence of the deformed Lorentz symmetry present in the particular model we have considered. In the low energy limit, our calculation coincides with usual results of photon thermodynamics in special relativity (SR) theory, in contrast to the study presented in (Phys. Rev. D81, 085039 (2010)).

Relativistic thermodynamics with an invariant energy scale

A particular framework for Quantum Gravity is the Doubly Special Relativity (DSR) formalism that introduces a new observer independent scale, the Planck energy. Our aim in this paper is to study the effects of this energy upper bound in relativistic thermodynamics. We have explicitly computed the modified equation of state for an ideal fluid in the DSR framework. In deriving our result we exploited the scheme of treating DSR as a non-linear representation of the Lorentz group in Special Relativity.

Position space versions of the Magueijo-Smolin doubly special relativity proposal and the problem of total momentum

We present and discuss two different possibilities to construct position space version for Magueijo-Smolin (MS) doubly special relativity proposal. The first possibility is to start from ordinary special relativity and then to define conserved momentum in special way. It generates MS invariant as well as nonlinear MS transformations on the momentum space, leading to consistent picture for one-particle sector of the theory. The second possibility is based on the following observation. Besides the nonlinear MS transformations, the MS energy-momentum relation is invariant also under some inhomogeneous linear transformations. The latter are induced starting from linearly realized Lorentz group in five-dimensional position space. Particle dynamics and kinematics are formulated starting from the corresponding five-dimensional interval. There is no problem of total momentum in the theory. The formulation admits two observer independent scales, the speed of light, $c$, and $k$ with dimension of velocity. We speculate on different possibilities to relate $k$ with fundamental constants. In particular, expression of $k$ in terms of vacuum energy suggests emergence of (minimum) quantum of mass.

Dirac spinors for doubly special relativity and κ-Minkowski noncommutative spacetime

We construct a Dirac equation that is consistent with one of the recently-proposed schemes for a ‘doubly special relativity’, a relativity with both an observer-independent velocity scale (still naturally identified with the speed-of-light constant) and an observer-independent length/momentum scale (possibly given by the Planck length/momentum). We find that the introduction of the second observer-independent scale only induces a mild deformation of the structure of Dirac spinors. We also show that our modified Dirac equation naturally arises in constructing a Dirac equation in the κ-Minkowski noncommutative spacetime. Previous, more heuristic studies had already argued for a possible role of doubly special relativity in κ-Minkowski, but remained vague on the nature of the consistency requirements that should be implemented in order to assure the observer-independence of the two scales. We find that a key role is played by the choice of a differential calculus in κ-Minkowski. A much-studied choice of the differential calculus does lead to our doubly special relativity Dirac equation, but a different scenario is encountered for another popular choice of differential calculus.

Velocity of particles in Doubly Special Relativity

Doubly Special Relativity (DSR) is a class of theories of relativistic motion with two observer-independent scales. We investigate the velocity of particles in DSR, defining velocity as the Poisson bracket of position with the appropriate Hamiltonian, taking care of the non-trivial structure of the DSR phase space. We find the general expression for four-velocity, and we show further that the three-velocity of massless particles equals 1 for all DSR theories. The relation between the boost parameter and velocity is also clarified.

Comparison of relativity theories with observer-independent scales of both velocity and length/mass

We consider the two most studied proposals of relativity theories with observer-independent scales of both velocity and length/mass: the one discussed by Amelino-Camelia as an illustrative example for the original proposal (Preprint gr-qc/0012051) of theories with two relativistic invariants, and an alternative more recently proposed by Magueijo and Smolin (Preprint hep-th/0112090). We show that these two relativistic theories are much more closely connected than it would appear on the basis of a naive analysis of their original formulations. In particular, in spite of adopting a rather different formal description of the deformed boost generators, they end up assigning the same dependence of momentum on rapidity, which can be described as the core feature of these relativistic theories. We show that this observation can be used to clarify the concepts of particle mass, particle velocity and energy–momentum conservation rules in these theories with two relativistic invariants.

A new doubly special relativity theory from a quantum Weyl–Poincaré algebra

A mass-like quantum Weyl-Poincare algebra is proposed to describe, after the identification of the deformation parameter with the Planck length, a new relativistic theory with two observer-independent scales (or DSR theory). Deformed momentum representation, finite boost transformations, range of rapidity, energy and momentum, as well as position and velocity operators are explicitly studied and compared with those of previous DSR theories based on kappa-Poincare algebra. The main novelties of the DSR theory here presented are the new features of momentum saturation and a new type of deformed position operators.

Transformations of coordinates and Hamiltonian formalism in deformed special relativity

We investigate the transformation laws of coordinates in generalizations of special relativity with two observer-independent scales. The request of covariance leads to simple formulas if one assumes noncanonical Poisson brackets, corresponding to noncommuting spacetime coordinates.

On the definition of velocity in theories with two observer-independent scales

We argue that a consistent definition of the velocity of a particle in generalizations of special relativity with two observer-independent scales should be independent from the mass of the particle. This request rules out the definition v i = ∂p 0/ ∂p i , but allows for other definitions proposed in the literature.

NON-COMMUTATIVE SPACE–TIME OF DOUBLY SPECIAL RELATIVITY THEORIES

Doubly Special Relativity (DSR) theory is a recently proposed theory with two observer-independent scales (of velocity and mass), which is to describe a kinematic structure underlining the theory of Quantum Gravity. We observe that there are infinitely many DSR constructions of the energy–momentum sector, each of whose can be promoted to the κ-Poincaré quantum (Hopf) algebra. Then we use the co-product of this algebra and the Heisenberg double construction of κ-deformed phase space in order to derive the non-commutative space–time structure and the description of the whole of DSR phase space. Next we show that contrary to the ambiguous structure of the energy momentum sector, the space–time of the DSR theory is unique and related to the theory with non-commutative space–time proposed long ago by Snyder. This theory provides non-commutative version of Minkowski space–time enjoying ordinary Lorentz symmetry. It turns out that when one builds a natural phase space on this space–time, its intrinsic length parameter ℓ becomes observer-independent.

Group of boost and rotation transformations with two observer-independent scales

I examine the structure of the deformed Lorentz transformations in one of the recently-proposed schemes with two observer-independent scales. I develop a technique for the analysis of general combinations of rotations and deformed boosts. In particular, I verify explicitly that the transformations form group.

Doubly special quantum and statistical mechanics from quantum κ-Poincaré algebra

Recently Amelino-Camelia proposed a “Doubly Special Relativity” theory with two observer independent scales (of speed and mass) that could replace the standard Special Relativity at energies close to the Planck scale. Such a theory might be a starting point in construction of a quantum theory of spacetime. In this Letter we investigate the quantum and statistical mechanical consequences of such a proposal. We construct the generalized Newton–Wigner operator and find relations between energy/momentum and frequency/wavevector for position eigenstates of this operator. These relations indicate the existence of a minimum length scale. Next we analyze the statistical mechanics of the corresponding systems. We find that depending on the value of a parameter defining the canonical commutational algebra one has to do either with a system with maximal possible temperature or with the one, which in the high temperature limit becomes discrete.

Doubly special relativity theories as different bases of κ-Poincaré algebra

Doubly Special Relativity (DSR) theory is a theory with two observer-independent scales, of velocity and mass (or length). Such a theory has been proposed by Amelino-Camelia as a kinematic structure which may underline quantum theory of relativity. Recently another theory of this kind has been proposed by Magueijo and Smolin. In this Letter we show that both these theories can be understood as particular bases of the κ-Poincaré theory based on quantum (Hopf) algebra. This observation makes it possible to construct the space–time sector of Magueijo and Smolin DSR. We also show how this construction can be extended to the whole class of DSRs. It turns out that for all such theories the structure of space–time commutators is the same. This results lead us to the claim that physical predictions of properly defined DSR theory should be independent of the choice of basis.

Deformed boost transformations that saturate at the Planck scale

We derive finite boost transformations based on the Lorentz sector of the bicross-product-basis $\kappa$-Poincare' Hopf albegra. We emphasize the role of these boost transformations in a recently-proposed new relativistic theory. We find that when the (dimensionful) deformation parameter is identified with the Planck length, which together with the speed-of-light constant has the status of observer-independent scale in the new relativistic theory, the deformed boosts saturate at the value of momentum that corresponds to the inverse of the Planck length.

Testable scenario for relativity with minimum length

I propose a general class of space-times whose structure is governed by observer-independent scales of both velocity ($c$) and length (Planck length), and I observe that these space-times can naturally host a modification of FitzGerald-Lorentz contraction such that lengths which in their inertial rest frame are bigger than a "minimum length" are also bigger than the minimum length in all other inertial frames. With an analysis in leading order in the minimum length, I show that this is the case in a specific illustrative example of postulates for Relativity with velocity and length observer-independent scales.